(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to disposable, bipolar electrosurgical forceps that are designed to prevent the sticking of body tissue to the tips of the forceps. More specifically, the present invention is directed to disposable, tissue-sticking resistant forceps that include a pair of electrode arms having lengths with opposite proximal and distal ends, with thin layers of biocompatible metal on the forceps arm distal ends and bipolar electrical conductors permanently secured to the forceps arm proximal ends. The manner in which the forceps are constructed enables the forceps to be manufactured inexpensively, and thereby enables the forceps to be disposable.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Bipolar electrosurgical forceps are typically constructed with a pair of electrode arms having proximal ends that are adapted to have electrical conductors removably attached to the proximal ends, and opposite distal ends with tips that contact and grasp or pinch body tissue between the tips during use of the forceps. For patient safety reasons, it is required that the portions of the forceps tips that contact the body tissue be constructed or formed of a biocompatible material that will not react with the body tissue. In the construction of prior art forceps, the biocompatible material commonly used on the tips of the forceps is an expensive metal such as stainless steel, titanium, tungsten and gold or silver. The use of this metal on the forceps tips is a significant factor in the manufacturing costs of the forceps.
In the use of prior art forceps, one of the electrical conductors connected to the forceps proximal end is connected to a source of electric power, and the other electrical conductor connected to the forceps proximal end is connected to a ground. The pair of forceps arms function as electrodes. When the forceps arms are manually manipulated by the surgeon to grasp body tissue between the distal end tips of the arms, an electric current is completed from one forceps arm through the body tissue to the other forceps arm. This current passing through the forceps tips and the body tissue heats the forceps tips and the body tissue held between the tips and causes the tissue to be joined or coagulated.
However, the heat produced in the forceps tips can also result in pieces of the body tissue sticking to the tips. During a surgical procedure using bipolar electrosurgical forceps, pieces of body tissue can accumulate on the forceps tips. As a result, sterilization of the forceps following the surgical procedure requires scrubbing or scraping of the forceps tips to remove the body tissue. This scrubbing and scraping of the tips can also result in a portion of the expensive biocompatible metal being removed from the tips. Over a period of time and after several uses and subsequent cleaning of the forceps, a sufficient amount of the biocompatible metal can be removed from the forceps tips to where the biocompatible material will no longer contact the body tissue in use of the instrument. At this point the instrument is no longer useful, requiring the disposal of the expensive instrument. This also requires the purchase of another expensive instrument to replace the disposed of instrument.
An additional disadvantage associated with reusable bipolar forceps having layers of biocompatible metals on the forceps tips is the potential for reducing the strength of the bond between the biocompatible metal layers and the forceps tips due to the cleaning of the forceps after each use. High temperature steam cleaning of the forceps can reduce the strength of the bond of the biocompatible metal with the forceps tips. This presents the potential of leaving foreign material in the body, for example in the brain, after a surgical procedure using the forceps. In addition, chemical cleaning of the forceps can adversely affect the forceps tip metal layers by a change in the chemical composition of the layers, for example tarnishing or oxidation of the tip layers.
To prolong the useful life of bipolar electrosurgical forceps, the thickness of the layer or amount of biocompatible metal at the forceps distal end tips has been increased. With the increased amount of biocompatible metal on the forceps distal end tips, the forceps can be used and sterilized a greater number of times before the biocompatible metal is worn away from the forceps tips by repeated sterilizations and scrubbing and scraping of the tips. However, due to the type of biocompatible metal (i.e., gold, silver, etc.) used on the forceps distal end tips, increasing the thickness of the metal significantly increases the cost of the surgical instrument.
To overcome these disadvantages of prior art bipolar electrosurgical forceps, what is needed is a novel construction of bipolar forceps that provides biocompatible metal at the forceps distal ends, but is constructed in a manner that reduces manufacturing costs and enables disposal of the forceps after one use.